Shade control



Feb. 21, 1967 R. E. DUNCAN 3,304,992

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United States 3,304,992 SHADE. CONTROL Rea E. Duncan, 3645 San Fernando Road, Glendale, Calif. 91204 Continuation of application Ser. No. 244,106, Dec. 12, 1962. This application .lune 16, 1965, Ser. No. 466,514

- 2 Claims. (Cl. 160-32) This is a continuation of copending application Serial No. 244,106 filed December l2, 1962 by Rea Duncan for Shade Control, now abandoned.

This invention relates, in general, to building construction and, in particular, to a new and improved shading for windows and the like from the sun.

Present-day buildings, especially those with large window areas, pose a problem of providing shading for the window areas from the rays of the sun and many attempts have been made to solve this problem, but to date there has been no adequate or acceptable way of doing so.

One attempt is to provide the outside of the building with vertical -or horizontal louvers extending either substantially the height of the buildingl or coextensive with the window areas alone. Some of the difficulties with the outside louvers are that inasmuch as they remain permanently in place, they restrict the view from the windows and detract from the general appearance `of the building. Such permanently placed outside louvers also cause problems for those who maintain the buildings, such as window washers and the like, because of the louvers interference with the performance of Vtheir jobs. Attempts to provide for their retraction from in front lof the window areas to alleviate this interference have not been successful.

Another attempt has been to provide vertically or horizontally disposed louvers :inside the building, usually Although these louvers can be made retractable, like Venetian blinds, the present-day buildings are not suitable `for their use and for the most part are generally considered unsightly. Much more important, however, is their inelectiveness to reduce heat within the building, even when not retracted, because they do not prevent the suns rays from striking the window glass itself.

Another attempt has been to provide an almost opaque shade screen permanently disposed `on the outside of the building in front of the window areas to shade the windows from the sun. These permanently disposed shade screens give satisfactory shade but obscure the view from the 'window almost completely, and, in order to improve this latter aspect of shade screens, shade screen material of they louvered type has been used so that the -view from the window is not as restricted. However, such shade screens, even though louvered, have a difculty like the aforementioned regular louvers in that, for effectiveness, they should be disposed close enough to the window for proper shading which, in turn, causes the maintenance `of the building difficult, as aforementioned.

Accordingly, a general object of this invention is to provide a new and improved shading for window areas which will overcome the difliculties of the present shade screens for window areas and the like of buildings.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a new `and improved shade screen capable of shading window areas which is retractable so as to permit free and unrestricted viewing thereof when shading is not required.

Still another specific object of this invention is to provide an acceptable shading for windows and the like which a-dds to the decorative affect and overall design of the building.

Briey, this invention comprises a shade s-creen material disposed outside and relative to a building so as to shade Patent 3,304,992 Patented Feb. 21, 1967 ice the window areas from the sun and movable to a position so that the view from the window is free and unrestricted when shading is not required. A suitable shade screen material is framed and connected to the mullions of the building. The framed shade screen material forming a shade screen is disposed relative to the mullion so that it can be moved to an enclosure, or behind a panel disposed between the windows of adjacent floors, when not used. Means are provided in the specific embodiment disclosed for moving the shade screens to and from the window areas and to and vfrom behind the panels. The combination of the enclosures or panels and shade screens adds to the decorative effect of the building by not detracting from the overall design.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE l is a fragmentary elevational view partially broken away illustrating to advantage the shade screens `and their enclosure as disposed on a building;

FIGURE 2 is a view taken along line 2, 2 of FIGURE 1 and illustrating to advantage the relationship of the shade screens and the enclosure in connection with the building, window, flooring, etc.;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary plan view, taken lalong line 3, 3 of FIGURE l and looking in the direction of the arrows, and illustrating yin cross section the relationship of the shade screens, mullion, window, etc.;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View, taken along line 4, 4 of FIGURE 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows, illustrating the mullion having the enclosure or panel lin the spandrel area of the building; and

FIGURE 5 is an elevational fragmentary view, taken along 5, 5 of FIGURE 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows, with a portion removed to show the top and bottom thereof adjacent the spandrel area.

Turning now to the drawings and, in particular, FIG- URES l and 2 thereof, it can be seen that there is illustrated therein a part of a building designated in its entirety as 10 having a plurality of mullions or uprights 11 spaced about the building and forming a part thereof in a conventional manner to support the building and its flooring 12, ceilings 13, windows 14, roof 15, spandrels 16, `and all other parts of a buildingtnot shown) in the conventional manner.

As will be explained in greater detail, building 10 is also provided with shade screen material, indicated in its entirety as 17, shown disposed in front of the window areas and movable from in front thereof Vby any suitable means, su'ch as a cable 18, -by motor 20 located in the embodiment illustrated above the roof 15. Motor 20, in driving the cable 18, can move the shade screen material 17 'from in lfront of the window area 14, as illustrated, up behind an adjacent panel 21 into an enclosure area, one of which enclosure area is illustrated at 22 in the lower portion of FIGURE 2. The sha-de screen material 17 is disposed vertically between the mullions 11 and horizontally aligned, as illustrated in FIGURE l, to cover the horizontally aligned window area in the conventional manner. As will be also clear from the description hereinafter, the

shade screen material lforming the vertical rows are each connected to move as a unit and preferably with similarly vertically disposed shade screen material between adjacent spandrels so that each horizontal row moves as a unit. The pulleys 23 may be connected, as for example, by a single rod 24 upon which a plurality of like pulleys may be mounted, so as to be driven by lmotor 20 or, by a plurality of motors 20 properly synchronized.

Turning now to FIGURES 3 and 4, it can be seen that each of the mullions 11, one of which is shown therein, comprises two vertical telescoping shells or channel sections and 26 which overlap at their inner and outer midaportions by vertical suitable tongue and grooves as at 27 and 28 and are provided with suitable weatherstripping grommets 30 extending lengthwise of the mullions. Each channel section 25, 26 is provided in its mid-portion and longitudinally thereof with outwardly opening frame grooves 31 and panel grooves 32, each of which is separated by a wall 33, to receive the screening materia-l 17 and the panels 21 respectively. In the embodiment disclosed, panels 21 and panel grooves 32 are also provided with weatherstripping grommets 34 (FIGURE 4) to maintain the panels 21 in their grooves in a conventional manner.

Shade screen material 17 for each window, as can be more clearly seen in FIGURE 3, are each provided with a frame 35 which surrounds or frames each piece of shade screen 'material and defines a window shade screen 36 which is wide enough to be received in the window 4grooves 31 of adjacent parallel vertically disposed mullions to be slidably mounted within the mullions.

Each piece of shade screen material is attached to its respective frame 35 in a conventional manner as at 37 by clamping means or by grommets (the latter being shown) and each frame 35 is also .provided with a plurality of rollers 38 (one being shown in FIGURE 3 and two being shown in FIGURE 5) to permit the `frame 35 to be supported sli-dably in the `frame Igrooves 31.

Each frame 3'5 is also provided with a suitable clamping means 40 which clamps cable 18, aforementioned, to the frame 35 so as to move window shade screen 36 upwardly and downward-ly as aforementioned.

Mullion channel sections 25 and 26 are also provided at their inner portions, that is in the upper portion of FIGURE 3 and FIGURE 4, with an outwardly open groove 41 to receive a closure member or insert 42 when the glass of window area 14 is to be mounted on the mullion as disclosed in FIGURE 3. The inserts 42 are formed with tongues to be received in suitable grooves 43 and 44 in the mullion sections 25 =and 26 yand to function like a typical tongue and groove closure that is snapped in place and are suitably weatherstripped where necessary by suitable grommets as at 45. The inserts 42 are also formed so as to provide a window channel 46 by having a wall 47 Ifacing another wall 48 on the mullion into which is received the window glass. The window glass is also suitably weatherstripped as by grommets 49 in the conventional manner.

In FIGURE 4 it is to be noted that the aforementioned grooves 41 in the respective channels 25 and 26 may be used to support the wall section or spandrel 16. The latter is accommodated by merely leaving out the inserts 42 and grommeting the spandrels 16 into the channels 41 as at 50.

As shown in FIGURE 5, the building is provided with horizontal channel members 51 and 52 placed in back-toback relationship with each other and joined by tongue and Igrooves as at 53 and suitably weatherstripped as by grommets 54 and aixed to the mullions in any conventional manner to `form part of the building. Horizontal members 51, one of which `forms a sill and the other a header for window area 14, are each provided with a channel section or groove 41a opening toward the window area 14 and provided with an insert 42a o'f the same general contour as insert 42 of FIGURE 3 so as -to provide the window channels 46a to receive window glass in a manner similarly described in connection with FIGURE 3. Inserts 42a are weatherstripped as at 45a and the window glass is weatherstripped as at 49a by grommets in `grooves 43a which correspond to like grommets and grooves as shown in FIGURE 3.

Similar-ly, horizontal members 52, one of which forms a base and the other which forms a header yfor the spandrel, shown at the top and 'bottom of members 51 in FIG- URE 5, are provided with a ygroove 41a in which the spandrel 16 is suitably Igrommeted as at 50a in a manner described in connection with FIGURE 4, it being noted that members 51 correspond to a portion of the mullion section 26 and members 52 correspond with a portion of the mullion section 25 and, inasmuch as there is similarity in structure and function of the various parts disclosed in FIG. 5 as those shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, the same reference numerals are used to denote such similarities except that the suiiix a has been added.

On the outer wall 55 of the members 51, a stop 56 is provided which, in this embodiment, is an angle strip suitably affixed to the wall 55 and upon which the lower end of the frame 35 comes to rest when the window shade screen 36 is in front of the window area 14. IOn the outer wall 57 of the member 52 there is provided a cover 58 which, in this embodiment, is an angle member and which extends outwardly beyond the panel 21 to cover the panel and the window shade screen when it is in a position coextensive wit'h the spandrel and behind the panel 21. The spandrel 16, wall 57, cover 58 and panel 21 for-m a closure into which the shade screen is withdrawn as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 5. The top cover 58, as shown in FIGURES l and 2, extends outwardly over the top panels 21 and may form part of the closure member 60 which extends outward-ly over the top portion of the mullions as shown in FIGURES l and 2 and can cover the motor 2l) so as to place the motor in a weatherproof enclosure.

From the above description of this invention, it can be seen that there is combined a shading for the window areas of a building which cooperates with panels forming an outer wall por-tion of the building and behind which the individual shade screens can be Withdrawn when the function of the shade screen is no longer desirable so as to permit free and unrestricted viewing from the windows. This combination adds to the decorative effect of the building inasmuch as the paneling, framing and mullions can be of any material or color that is desirable. While there is shown the windows without any ventilation function, as is the custom in some buildings, obviously the windows themselves can have partial or full screening for bugs and the like without detracting from the function of the shade screen material.

While any shade screen material may be utilized in the present invention, the louvered wire woven screen cloth of the type shown in Ewing Patent 2,194,222 has been found very satisfactory. Furthermore, while the mullions and spandrels and window glass are shown to be unitary, and the ooring and ceiling are shown schematically and without plumbing, wiring, trim, etc., obviously this was done to simplify the description for purposes of illustration of the invention as will be understood by those familiar with building practices.

It is contemplated also within the scope of the invention that any suitable means may be used to connect the individual shade screens together for movement even though cable 18 only is shown and that any supporting means may be used for supporting the panels 21 and/or shade screens 36, etc., which supporting means may function as a mullion or as a part thereof or independently of the mullions. It is also contemplated that means may be provided for automatically moving the shade screen material to and from the window area in response to the requirement for shade by using any sun or light responsive control means therefor suitably connected to the motors 20.

It is also contemplated within the scope of this invention that various modifications, changes, and substitutions may be made to the particular structure shown and described above without departing from the spirit of this invention as, for example, the invention is disclosed as part of new building construction but could be used equally as well to up-date an old building with the decorative effect of the paneling, screens and supporting means giving the old building a modern look, and that the invention is to be construed to include all such modifications, changes,

and substitutions as may come within the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a multi-story building construction including an inner wall portion having vertically aligned, horizontally spaced, light passage areas including windows therein coincident with means defining openings in a spaced outer wall portion the combination comprising,

spacedly arranged vertically extending mullions interconnecting the inner and outer Wall portions, cooperative pairs of spaced cables confined Within said mullions and adapted to be actuated by an operator means positioned in an upper story of said building,

a plurality of frame means disposed in vertically spaced relation, connected to and secured for travel with said cables,

and shade means dispo-sed in each of said frame means whereby upon actuation of said operator means the frame means may be displaced from a stored position between the spaced wall portions of said building so as to be blocked from view to a position coincident vvith the horizontally aligned light passage areas thereof and alternatively to the said storage position.

2. In a multi-story building construction including an inner wall portion having vertically aligned, horizontally spaced, light passage areas including Windows therein coincident with means dening openings in a spaced outer Wall portion, the combination comprising,

spacedly arranged, vertically extending mullions interconnecting the inner and outer wall portions,

positioning means conned within said mullions and adapted to be actuated by an operator means located Within said building,

a plurality of frame means dis-posed in vertically spaced relation, connected to and secured for travel with said positioning means, and

shade means disposed in each of said frame means whereby, upon actuation of said operator means, the same means may be displaced from a stored position lbetween the spaced wall portions of said building so as to be lblocked from view to a position coincident with the horizontally aligned light passage areas thereof and alternatively to said storage position.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,303,410 5/1919 Stowell 268-16 X 1,463,121 7/1923 Johnston 160-37 1,771,569 7/1930 Benoit 160-37 1,927,967 9/1933 Wel-Sh 160--37 2,310,247 2/1943 Lunken et al. 2,762,474 9/ 1956 Sylvan 189-75 3,051,231 8/1962 Alvarez 160-220 X 3,071,215 1/1963 Gall 189--75 FOREIGN PATENTS 91,235 7/1961 Denmark.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

D. L. TAYLOR, Assistant Examiner'. 

2. IN A MULTI-STORY BUILDING CONSTRUCTION INCLUDING AN INNER WALL PORTION HAVING VERTICALLY ALIGNED, HORIZONTALLY SPACED, LIGHT PASSAGE AREAS INCLUDING WINDOWS THEREIN COINCIDENT WITH MEANS DEFINING OPENINGS IN A SPACED OUTER WALL PORTION, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING, SPACEDLY ARRANGED, VERTICALLY EXTENDING MULLIONS INTERCONNECTING THE INNER AND OUTER WALL PORTIONS, ADAPTED TO BE ACTUATED BY AN OPERATOR MEANS LOCATED WITHIN SAID BUILDING, A PLURALITY OF FRAME MEANS DISPOSED IN VERTICALLY SPACED RELATION, CONNECTED TO AND SECURED FOR TRAVEL WITH SAID POSITIONING MEANS, AND 